Softening of hearts..

 I see, like I have said many times before, so many little kids that are so cute out here and my goodness it just makes me want to hug and kiss P man and Haizlee. Our family is wonderful and i'm glad we're doing good. In the Book of Mormon it seems that people begin to become bad the moment they forget where the blessings come from. We have to always acknowledge the hand of Lord in our lives and strive every moment to do what He'd have us do.

So yesterday we stayed after church for a bit and when we got home we were getting our stuff out of the car then getting ready to go eat some lunch. All the sudden we heard a scream come from across the street. We kind of looked at each other and assumed someone was just messing around. It was kind of an erie feeling. Then this scream was persistant. We didn't hear anything else though. It was just a lady screaming help! someone help! No one else was screaming, no dogs barking nothing. It seems like stuff like this happens all the time and 9 times out of 10 someones just messing around. Well we got the feeling that we needed to run across the street to see what the cries were all about. We made it over there and poked our heads over the fence because the cries were coming from the backyard. We saw a lady with blood on her just crying and in a panic. She was staring at something and yelling at us to run through the front door into the back, so we did. As I ran  to the back I managed to grab a shovel that was leaning against the house on the way in because I had no idea what we were getting into. As we ran into the back yard two of this womens dogs were trying to kill each other. I was very releived when I realized it was only two dogs and not a dog attacking a person. It was a pit bull and a boxer (People here have like 8 dogs and it's kind of out of control) and needless to say they were malling one another. My companion ran over to them and tried kicking them. He threw a chair at them. I was very nervous for him but in my head I was thinking that i'd rather let these two animals kill each other then to put my life or anyone elses life in danger. So the whole time, which felt like forever but was only about 5 minutes, I stood with my shovel while they tried seperating them. I was ready to pummel a dog if they decided to turn on the lady or my companion. It was really scary. These dogs are powerful and ruthless. Mind you there were 6 other dogs running around the backyard in a panic while these other two were eating one another. So my senses were everywhere. The women yelled at me to grab all the other dogs and get them in the house and I pretty much decided that that wasn`t smart because I didn't want to be away from the two dogs just in case they turned on my companion or the lady. I didn't know these people and I certainly didn't know these dogs and what they were capable of. So finally my companion finds some Raid, yes bug killer, and goes to spray but stops because if anything were to happen to the dogs from spraying them he didn't know if the people would sue us or something. So the panicking lady grabs it from him and sprays them and they seperated. It was rather intense and after it was all said and done, both dogs lived no one was seriously injured and I still had my shovel. So I didn't do anything really, my companion kicked one dog once and through a chair at them. The Raid saved the day. Right before we got there the lady had just given up. She was diabetic and was about to faint and she feard that if she would have fallen over and fainted outside that they'd turn on here while she's passed out so when she saw us she yelled furiously to get back there. The coolest part was not that the dogs were safe but that these people softened their hearts to us as missionaries because we helped out and they couldn't stop thanking us. We went back over last night and just made sure all was well. We were able to able to talk to them about the  Church and about why we come to serve missions and we were laughing about all the things that had happened.  They told us to stop by whenever and that they were very grateful we followed the cry for help. I don't know if they would have softened their hearts otherwise. We'll see what happens.

Love, Elder Paramore

Study and pray..

Remember to pray always. In the Bible Dictionary it tells us that when we pray and ask for things like guidance or help we're only securing blessing that Heavenly Father is already willing to give us so be specific in your prayers and really wrestle. We wrestle each day and night in our prayers. There is so much we want to get done and there is always so much more to do after that so we have to remain prayerful or we'd never have the strength to do anything. 


My goodness it seems like I should just never come home ha. You all are doing so so so good and I can feel your love and excitement about the Gospel in every email and letter. It makes me so happy. I know our Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us and he wants all of us to be happy. The Church is Jesus Christs Church. It's pretty neat. I really do love going out everyday and testifying about this message. The times when it's scary are the times where I didn't prepare myself. Everyday scripture study, prayer and companion study is essential. Same thing with families. He gives us ways to be happy and successful and ways to live above the evils of the world but we have to be willing to obey. Everyday lately I've been trying to think about how I can show our Heavenly Father how much I love him through my obedience. To even the small things. Someone once asked me the question " How much do you love the Savior?" I thought about it for a minute then said sincerely "a whole lot." Everyday I find out how much more he loves me through blessings and really just growing closer to him, by continually seeking the spirit and trying all the time to organize myself according to His will. After I answered that question they said to me " we'll see." Everyday and in each moment we can show our love and gratitude through our obedience. "If we love him we'll keep his commandments."

I don't know for sure how many Hmong people live in this area but it's quite a few. We don't have a branch here and some are citizens and some aren't. Sorry ha I wish I had better answers.

No TV what?! That's so neat! I bet you really do enjoy it though. I love not being able to watch TV or not being able to listen to the radio and all that. It really does help me listen to the spirit and obey the promptings. Ha this is probably a bold statement but I think there's a direct correlation between willingness to obey the promptings of the spirit and limiting distractions. Keep it up.

Well I love you all very very much and I hope you know that.


Love Elder Paramore

6 month mark...

Well  the reports are great! All is well in sunny California. That really is a miracle. I'm glad little Chloe Stucki is doing well and I have no doubts that there were Angels surrounding her. Bishop Salley is so in tune. I really miss the leadership of our ward. I have never received such love on a birthday. I couldn't believe it. I probably received 12-15 birthday cards. Hannah sent me one that sings the Friends theme song. It was funny. My companion covered his ears. He was kidding. I was made 4 birthday cakes and since not everyone can sign up for dinner on the same day there are still people that have plans to celebrate. It's wonderful. I think I'd like to just never stop being a missionary. The Mckinty's, who are a family that I really enjoy and love, made me home made ice cream that proves that I'm very carnal and have weaknesses of all kinds. I knew it was in the freezer and I could not stay away from it. In fact I had no choice. My agency was actually taken away from me. It was tough.l  He's the ward mission leader. He served Spanish speaking back east somewhere. I forget. He shares our desires of spreading the Gospel. They're wonderful. My mission President is so full of love. He doesn't have to do a lot for me to know that he's inspired and loves each and every missionary. He's too kind and I'm very grateful for his love, dedication and example. I still can't believe how much bad there is in this world. It's almost overwhelming. I want to hug everyone and tell them that I love them. I really do. So I've learned that obedience seems to be the toughest thing for missionaries. We know that there are laws and laws hold blessings and blessing are predicated upon obedience to those laws. So even the little ones like bed at 10:30 and arise at 6:30 or backing your companion up when he's backing up the car or other silly little things that don't seem to matter hold a blessing. I'm guilty. I try and try and try and I know I'll never be perfect but I sincerely do my best, even at the little things. It's the toughest when you're dealing with an attitude that doesn't seem to care and justifies. I'm glad I have a companion that likes to work hard and follow the rules. Elder Ramirez loves the Lord and I know he does because not only is he here but he works very hard. I cry a lot mom. There really is nothing like this work. At the end of each day I'm beat. I feel like a rubber band that had the word Saviors Love written on it and I was first wrapped around just a few sticks. Which caused some stretching and some growing and learning to be able to handle being stretched to love those few sticks and to show them that they're loved. Now I'm stretching even more and I'm wrapped around so many sticks I can't count them all nor can I see them all. I'm not afraid of breaking I'm just afraid that during those times of weakness and during moments that show my own imperfections that I won't be able to show every stick that needs to know of our saviors love that they're loved. No doubt that there are sticks in the middle that feel lost and confused and feel like no one loves them. I'm so grateful that a mission is tough. I'm so grateful that I'm stretched then stretched again. Ha man I'm just a little rubber band. With the Saviors love and this gospel I know I'll never break and that somehow I'm going to be able to do what I'm supposed to and somehow the Lord will prepare many hearts for me.  I have a picture of you and Dad and a big picture of the Savior right above my desk. Right below the picture of the savior and right above you all I printed a little paper that says Be Still... In Section 101:14-16 it talks about being still and trusting in God. I love looking at those pictures. You and Dad make me so happy. I love Dads I don't really wanna smile look slash I don't like pictures but I know my daughter(Shenise) is going to take a million so I better get used to it  and smile. Then you're so pretty and you two sib haum. Which means fit together. I love you both very very much. I, of course, love looking at the Savior. Even though it's only a picture, it demands so much respect and reverence. His eyes are piercing and you can feel his love and his wisdom. I'm very lucky in every way.  Please hug and kiss the Little's for me and don't stop reading every night with them. Or saying prayers. Even Adults have the biggest problem forgetting to say prayers and read. If everyone could remember these two simple things it would save a lot of heart ache.
 Love ya.


Elder Paramore

Elder Pramore must have been in a jovial mood he stated this in last weeks e-mail.

Miracles happen! I have grown two inches and have to shave every other day! Chew on that!!

Hello!

I had a great birthday! Some members and some Elders and I went bowling today and they brought me a birthday cake. It happens to be Brother Giles's Birthday as well. He was  one of the members that came bowling with his family. I bowled a 189 and a 171. I get really lucky at everything as a missionary. We also played basketball and my team didn't lose(Elder Mears was on my team and he's 6'8). It has been a good day. Tonight we'll go to some awesome members for dinner as well. All is well here. Before I forget... How's the Stucki's daughter? I have prayed for her and  I hope she's doing alright. If you get a chance and see any of my friends tell them I love them.  I  love telling my companion how great of friends I have. It's pointless because everyone thinks they have the best friends in the world but they clearly haven't met mine. I love them all very much and hope all is well with them. We're teaching a few people right now. Up until last week we were teaching a girl who's 21 that decided to drop us because of cultural pressures. It broke our hearts. She texts our phone in the   night because we're her only real/close friends. She came to church probably 13 times or more. She really wanted it but she couldn't find the faith to go against her parents wishes and be baptized. Their culture is strange and it's deep and it really holds them back. I can't explain efficiently through an email but we're still hopeful and we'll always pray for her. We can't and don`t text back so whenever we get stuff like that (which it's always really dramatic and really sad) we call a member named Van. She's a recent convert and she is such a neat person. She claims to be perfect. She'll call and make sure everything is going alright then we'll call later and make sure.  . Ok so about this miracle... I really haven't grown, thanks for the faith. 2nd.... I really do have to shave every other day, thanks again! I can't believe how big the Little's are getting. It drives me crazy to see babies younger then Haizlee. She's getting big and she's so smart! Thank you for the whole package. Ha the Ammon figure was sweet. They should have put some arms down by his feet. That rhyme was an accident but is sounded neat;) All is  well my dear mother. Tell my Dad that I love him. So much.  I don't know what else to tell you. I can't believe it's been 3 months since I called on Mothers day. Every day is so so so so fast. Every morning my companion like to sleep in an extra half hour ha so he said how about we go to bed a half hour early so I can wake up on time so we have time to exercise in the morning. I told him we should probably just go to bed on time and wake up on time. ha . I'm very lucky to have him as a companion. He's great and he enjoys working hard.  I love you all  With all my heart. Everyday my perspective becomes a bit more eternal. I love thinking about and knowing families can be together forever. Keep up the good work and "never do the good or better thing, do the best thing." Our potential is endless and I know that's true. Love ya.
Elder Paramore